


Playful harmony

by plopdropflop



Series: our little home [4]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Character Study, Fluff, Gen, Lee Jeno-centric, One Shot, Park Jisung (NCT)-centric, Soft Lee Jeno, Soft Park Jisung (NCT)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:33:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26012686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plopdropflop/pseuds/plopdropflop
Summary: What's between them is bright-eyed admiration and fond exasperation that translates into playful banter. What matters is the subtext of love and adoration ingrained into every action.(Jeno and Jisung will always, always melt for each other).
Relationships: Lee Jeno & Park Jisung
Series: our little home [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1660615
Comments: 2
Kudos: 72





	Playful harmony

**Author's Note:**

> Another mini drabble! Ill probably do Jaemle next <3
> 
> Warning!! There is a brief scene of harassment, after the 5th line break!!! Please be careful!
> 
> As usual! Previous works aren't necessary for this!!

"And why, exactly, are you sulking?" A tired voice asks, muffled through the blankets Jisung has decided to drown himself under. 

He's not sulking. It's not something as undignified and immature as sulking, he's just… a bit miffed that Jeno got a higher mark than him in their dance evaluations, when Jisung was the one who poured more blood sweat and tears trying to perfect his performance. 

Still, the longer he goes without reply, the more confident Jaemin's going to be about his statement, so he pokes his head out of the blanket and scowls up at his hyung. 

"I'm trying to sleep, hyung," he says, before snuggling back into his haven. 

He hears a sigh reverberate in the air. "Little Jisungie, you hurt his feelings, you know?" Jaemin says, and Jisung huffs at the nickname before he registers the words being spoken. 

His head is back out again, and he can't help but gape at Jaemin's solemn expression, foreign on his usually carefree hyung's face.

"Is he… is he really sad?" Jisung asks, suddenly worried, because yeah maybe he really was sulking, and said some rude things, but he also didn't mean them! He doesn't _actually_ think Jeno is too arrogant and he doesn't _actually_ think Jeno just passed because he has a pretty face. 

Jaemin, to his dismay, nods, and Jisung's heart feels crushed. He scurries out of the blanket nest to gaze up at Jaemin in horror. 

"Hyung, I didn't mean it!" He tries to say, as if Jaemin's the one he blew up at.

"Of course you didn't, baby, but you still said it, and you need to apologize," Jaemin says gently, his expression softening as he reaches out to caress Jisung's cheek. His palms are warm, and Jisung leans into it with a sniff. 

"What if he's mad at me?" 

"He's not, but you should still talk to him, yeah?" 

Jisung nods, and Jaemin steps back and leaves him alone. 

It takes Jisung a few more minutes to calm himself down, and figure out what to say. It's important to think before you speak, Haechan hyung would always tell him, and while outwardly Jisung likes to pretend to ignore their words, he secretly stores them somewhere in his brain because they usually are good advice.

When he's drafted an entire essay in his head, he gets up and heads towards the practice rooms he knows Jeno is in — always practicing, always trying so hard.

* * *

(His talk with Jeno ends up with a lot of crying on Jisung's part and a lot of laughs from Jeno. Jisung ended up completely discarding his pre-thought apology, instead rambling on and on about how cool he thought Jeno was and that it was just a stupid bout of jealousy and that he really, really didn't mean anything. They reconcile, of course, and they waste away an entire night gaming together with their laughter dissolving into the heavens above the crammed little dormitory they called a home). 

* * *

There was a point where, instead of playful words and half-hearted insults, the only thing exchanged between them were shy looks. Between how timid Jisung was when he first joined, and how intimidating Jeno looked to him, Jisung had vowed to never cross paths with the boy if he could help it.

Of course, all that changed when Jaemin caught wind of him and immediately claimed him as his own. Jaemin and Jeno came as a package deal even back then, and Jisung found himself face to face with the older trainee that set alarm bells ringing in his head every time he looked at him.

Jeno, to his credit, tried to talk to him, encouraging him to show off his dance skills and whatnot, but Jisung was mortified every time. He didn't know why, but something in him just couldn't disappoint Jeno with his mediocre dancing. He just couldn't.

Eventually, Jisung grows confident in his skills, and begins to talk to Jeno, albeit shy and awkward at first, but eventually blooming into genuine affection masked by excessive banter. It doesn't matter if they're tired from practice or aching from exercise; they will find something to bicker about. Video games, Jaemin, food, clothes, you name it, they've fought over it. 

None of the members take it seriously, and so doesn't Jisung, and somewhere amidst that surface level dynamic grew a seed of respect. Respect for Jeno, who's so handsome, but never lets his face do the work. He spends long hours practicing, until his knees are bruised, until even Jisung is worried, and until Jaemin has to drag them both back to the dorm with ringing ears and bruised shoulders.

There's a fire in Jeno so contrasting from his gentle disposition; a need to debut, one that begins to fuel Jisung as well.

And eventually, it all pays off. They move into a bigger dorm, they release their debut song, and Jisung feels like he's on top of the world.

* * *

"I'm hungry," he whines, kicking his legs out childishly, staring up at Jeno who stares back in exasperation. 

"Cook some ramen," Jeno answers after a beat, steadily working his way through a bag of chips that he refuses to share with Jisung. This is the level they get reduced to when Renjun and Jaemin aren't home, unfortunately. 

"Hyung banned me…" Jisung mutters, petulant, not clarifying further as he recalls his completely failed attempt at trying to make soup, and the severe lecture that followed afterwards.

Jeno, sensing that Jisung won't let this go, throws his empty bag of chips, and it flutters to the ground weakly. Jisung eyes it warily, knowing Jaemin would tear into Jeno for littering the dorm he tries so hard to keep clean. 

Jeno pulls out a watermelon from the fridge, smiling at Jisung. "How about I cut this up for you?"

Jisung nods eagerly, bag of chips forgotten, happy to sit back and watch as Jeno slices up the fruit, cutting them into little cubes and throwing them into a large bowl. He takes a seat next to Jisung after he's done, watching as Jisung digs in, and when the juice begins to drip everywhere, he takes a napkin and wipes Jisung's mouth gently.

There is a pause as Jeno studies Jisung's face. A frown overtakes his features, and he asks, "have you been sleeping lately?"

Jisung shrugs. He hasn't, obsessed with watching his own fancams and tearing apart his every move, and watching other's fancams and feeling shitty about himself. It's a never ending loop that he knows he'll keep participating in until he exhausts himself beyond his limits.

Jeno sighs, giving the corner of Jisung's lips one last tap before getting up, collecting the dishes and depositing them into the sink. "I'll clean up here, go sleep."

Jeno's back is to him, so he doesn't see the way Jisung's eyes crinkle, full of fondness as he stares at his hyung's broad shoulders, always such a warm and protective sight.

It doesn't matter how annoying Jisung can try to be. Jeno will always, always, look after him. 

* * *

"I just can't do it," Jisung groans, collapsing onto the floor, the screech of his shoes echoing in the empty practice room.

Jeno pauses, stopping the music and crouching in front of Jisung. His face contorts sympathetically, and his hand darts out to rest on Jisung's head, the boy's face buried between his knees.

"It's alright," Jeno says, quiet and patient. "We'll take a break, and start over again."

"But can we afford a break? It's our bridge, hyung, we can't mess it up," Jisung mumbles, and Jeno sighs. Slowly, he scoots over until he's pressed against Jisung's side, and he begins to rub soothing circles on his back.

"You'll mess it up even more if you try to continue like this. Take a _break,_ " Jeno stresses.

Jisung however, only shakes his head. "Can — can you do it for me? So I can watch? And see where I'm going wrong. I swear I won't try to dance yet, but..."

Jeno agrees to this, sensing that it's the best option, and the music starts once more. He burns through the routine easily, moves ingrained into his muscles, and he knows for sure Jisung will be able to follow. He just needs _time._

No matter. It doesn't matter if Jisung is having a slow day or not. Jeno will always be there to guide him, no judgment held whatsoever.

* * *

Jeno frowns at the row of cereal boxes, wondering which option he should choose. He turns to the side to ask Jisung, only to find that the boy has gone missing. He doesn't think much of it at first; Jisung has a tendency to wander off whenever they go out, his insatiable curiosity extending to even the most basic of things. Jeno would probably find him slapping a pumpkin in the produce aisle.

He throws in the one with the ugliest design on the box — to piss Renjun off — and wheels his cart away, trying to find Jisung amongst the shelves and shelves of food.

Something clatters onto the ground. There is a whimper that rings out in the convenience store. Jeno's blood freezes.

Immediately, he ditches the cart and runs towards where he heard the noise, heart pounding, muscles tense, ready for action. When he turns into the shampoo aisle, his worst fears are proven to be true.

A man has Jisung in his hold, trying to sneak a hand underneath, and Jisung thrashes in his hold. Jeno wastes no time crossing the distance and yanking Jisung out, grabbing the man by the collar and swinging a punch that knocks him off balance. He stares, chest heaving, as the man scrambles on the ground, before running off.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck_

Jeno would've chased him down, but a shaky inhale behind him stops him in his tracks. He turns on his heels quickly, taking in Jisung's flushed face, shaken and terrified. His eyes are pooling with tears, and Jeno's heart sinks as he pulls the boy in for a hug.

"It's alright, it's alright," Jeno whispers, trying to cool the burning hot rage within him. Jisung may be tall, but he carries himself with a humbleness and grace that unfortunately, paints him a target for creepy adults loitering around late at night. They all have an unspoken code to never let him out of sight for long, and Jeno had been so _careless_ with it.

Still, he doesn't apologize. He knows Jisung wouldn't appreciate it. Rather, he tells the boy, "I'll be here to look after you, Jisung, don't worry."

Jisung nods against his chest. It's the truth after all. Whatever time of day it is, Jeno will always be there to protect him.

* * *

There's a straightforwardness to Jeno that Jisung envies. If Jeno wants to sleep, he sleeps. If he wants to eat, he eats. If he wants to go out, he goes out. There is no ten step planning or scheduling with him, he just _does_.

So when hesitation grips Jisung's entire body, leaving him wanting to do everything but unable to do anything, Jeno is the one who pulls him out of it.

But it's not really as direct or dramatic of a method that one would expect. Rather, Jeno would _tell_ Jisung to do something with him, and unable to deny him, Jisung will comply. Most of the time, this ends up with them, knees pressed together on the carpet as they play whatever video game they find fit. Sometimes, it ends in calloused hands and tired wrists as Jeno guides Jisung through a song on his guitar.

And there are times, when there is only silent company.

It's one of those nights where Jisung can't sleep, worried about how unproductive he was, stressed that he's unable to sleep, and tearing is hair out at all the things he wants to do the next day. With a groan, he gets up, and with his blanket clutched in hand, he marches out and into Jeno's room.

Jeno seems like he's just gotten into bed. He shoots upright with messy hair falling into his eyes, and mouth slightly agape. When he sees Jisung, his face melts into a beautiful smile, and he beckons Jisung over.

Jisung doesn't hesitate to crawl onto the bed, and Jeno immediately locks him in a half-headlock half-cuddle, hand reaching out to grab his tablet from the side-table. He props it on his lap while ensuring Jisung is comfortably resting atop his chest, and he speaks in a quiet, low voice.

"Let's watch a movie together."

Jisung nods, and Jeno plays it, and that's all they say to each other for the rest of the night.

* * *

It's no secret that Jisung has always admired Jeno. Jisung looks up to everything about him; his looks, his stage presence, his charisma, his rapping, his dancing, everything. It doesn't matter how much he teases or disobeys Jeno, he will always be the first to admit that he finds Jeno to be an exemplary role model.

It's also no secret that Jeno adores Jisung from the bottom of his heart. It doesn't matter how michevious Jisung can be, or how rebellious he can act, he will always be the first one to lend Jisung a supporting hand, to pat his back, to pull him into a hug.

They fight, they play, they tease, but above all, they also love.  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope this was an enjoyable read... I might go on a small break before any more updates but I hope you'll stick around! As always, kudos and comments are much loved ❤❤


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